This invention relates to the mounting of electrical or other utility boxes, panels, or similar housings between wooden studs or equivalent vertical members, as in conventional building framework, and concerns chiefly a tool to simplify and expedite such mounting.
Electrical utility boxes or panels, to be properly mounted, must be held--first temporarily and then permanently--at desired height, depth, and orientation. All this should be accomplished with a minimum of assistance, effort, error, expense, and time. Usually two people are required: one person to hold the item to be mounted, and another person to secure it in place, but one person should be adequate, given the aid of an appropriate tool.
Tools for aiding the mounting of electrical outlet or switch boxes are known that utilize spring bias for gripping a stud and part of such box between the jaws of such a tool, thus temporarily supporting the box against the stud until a more nearly permanent connection can be made, as by nailing through openings in the side of the box to retain it securely in place. Examples of such tools are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,956,798 to Briggs 2,962,281 to Hodgson; 3,154,304 to Crawford and 3,751,026 to Stickney.
Notwithstanding such efforts, mounting of larger boxes, panels, or the like cannot be accomplished with the tools so provided. Nor is it desirable to devise very complex apparatus for this purpose. My invention is designed to answer the apparent needs, but without introducing unwanted complications as so many new tools seem to do.